Pleasure submersible boat



April 21, 1964 R. BAJULAZ PLEASURE} SUBMERSIBLE BOAT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 4, 1962 F0 5,? 64am AZ by 0 /14; 3 M

April 21, 1964 R. BAJULAZ 9,

PLEASURE SUBMERSIBLE BOAT Filed Sept. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F095,?Elam/11 6v In; M M

April 21, 1964 R. BAJULAZ PLEASURE SUBMERSIBLE BOAT Filed Sept. 4, 1962April 21, 1964 R. EBAJULAZ 3,129,681

PLEASURE SUBMERSIBLE BOAT Filed Sept. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UnitedStates Patent 3,129,681 PLEASURE SUBIVERSiiBLE BOAT Roger Bajulaz, 13tjhemin Pierre Grise, Genthod, Geneva, Switzerland Filed Sept. 4, 1962,Ser. No. 221,915 Claims priority, application witzerland Sept. 22, 196115 mamas. (Q1. 11416) The present invention has for its object apleasure submersible boat comprising a watertight cabin provided withoperating members for controlling its immersion and its reascension tothe surface, and a safety device constituted on the one hand by a floatlocated at least partially above the water surface and on the other handby at least one deformable parallelogram connecting the Watertight cabinto said float. This safety device comprises a ballast mechanicallyconnected to the float and also connected to the deformableparallelogram so that an angular displacement of the parallelogram outof its rest position causes simultaneously the immersion of thewatertight cabin and a displacement of the ballast upward and toward thebuoyancy thrust of the watertight cabin. In this manner, the buoyancythrust is counter-balanced by the weight of the ballast.

The attached drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example oneembodiment of the pleasure submersible boat according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the submersible, certain parts being removedand others seen in cross section.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the submersible boat, again with certain partsremoved and others seen in cross section.

FIG. 3 is a partial view showing particularly the position of theballast and of the deformable parallelograms when the cabin is floatingon the water, certain parts being omitted and others broken away.

FIG. 4 shows the position of the ballast and of the deformableparallelograms just before the beginning of the immersion of thewatertight cabin.

FIG. 5 shows the position of the ballast and of the deformableparallelograms when the watertight cabin is immersed at its maximumdepth.

In the embodiment shown, the pleasure submersible boat comprises awatertight cabin 1 and a safety device constituted by a float 2 and twodeformable parallelograms connecting the watertight cabin 1 to the float2.

The watertight cabin houses a compartment 3 provided with a seat 4 forthe passengers and comprises an aperture closed in a watertight mannerby a cover 5, at least one portion of which is composed of a transparentmaterial. Cover 5 is articulated on the watertight cabin 1 by means ofhinges enabling the passengers to enter this cabin. A locking deviceactuated from the inside of the cabin applies the periphery of the cover5 against a seat provided on the watertight cabin 1 and provided with aseal in such a manner that each portion of the periphery of the cover 5is tightened against the seal with the same pressure.

Operating members constituted in the embodiment shown by levers 6controlling electric switches are disposed inside compartment 3 andenable the passengers to control the immersion and the emersion of thewatertight cabin, as well as the different operations for forward andbackward movements and for changes of the travelling direction of thesubmersible.

Two ventilating pipes 7 at either side of the cover 5 communicate withthe compartment 3, and they have a sufiicient length to connect thiscompartment 3 to the free air above the water surface when the cabin 1is immersed at its maximum depth. At their upper extremities, theseventilating pipes carry mirrors 8 disposed at 45 with respect to theirlongitudinal axes. Inside of the compartment, a mirror 9 is disposed atthe vicinity of the aperture of each of these ventilating pipes enablingthe passengers to see outside of the cabin, the view being reflected bythe mirrors 8 in the ventilating pipes 7. These ventilating pipes 7 thusalso serve as periscopes enabling the passengers to guide thesubmersible when the cabin is immersed.

The float 2 is constituted by a float divided into several watertightcompartments, and when seen from above it has the general shape of a U.

Each of the lateral parts of the float 2 is constituted by a sharpenedbody 13 extending forward beyond a central part 9 and having a greaterheight than the central part 9.

The rear part of the submersible, constituted by the middle portion 9 ofthe U of the float 2, has a large, approximately rectangular, surface. Alongitudinal cross section through said rear part of the float showsthat its thickness increases toward the rear. This central rear part 9carries the propulsion means constituted by a water wheel 10 driven inrotation by an electric actuating motor M housed in a compartment 11.This motor M is a reversible DC. motor which is mechanically connectedto the water wheel 10 by means of pulleys and a belt B A battery Phoused in one of the bodies 13, energizes motor M through a conductor Lwhich connects with a reversing switch controlled by one of the levers6. The part 9 also carries steering means constituted by a rudder 12driven in its angular displacements by an electric motor M not shown,also dis: posed inside the compartment 11. Motor M is identical to motorM and is controlled in the same manner. It is mechanically drivinglyconnected by means of a shaft S and bevel gears to the axle of rudder12.

Further, this rear central part h carries the immersion meansconstituted by a third reversible DC). motor M also housed in thecompartment 11, driving two winches T disposed in the vicinity of thelateral sides of part 9. The motor M is mechanically drivingly connectedthrough a gear reducer G including an electromagnetic brake to a shaft Sdriving the drums of both winches T. This motor is energized fromanother battery P mounted in the other body 13 through a conductor LMotor M is controlled in the same way as motor M by a second reversingswitch coupled to the other lever 6.

Each of these three parts (9, 13) of the float 2 is divided intowatertight compartments in order to increase the security of thesubmersible. In fact, it is possible for the float 2 to be damaged andeven perforated, in the event of a collision with another boat, forexample. Under these conditions, only one of the watertight compartmentsfills with water and the others still provide sutficient buoyancy toensure the floating of the submersible on the water surface.

Further, the buoyancy of this float 2 is suflicient to support the totalweight of the submersible even if, due to an accident, the cabin isentirely filled with water. This confers a practically total workingsecurity to the submersible, which is naturally necessary for suchpleasure boats intended to be hired on public beaches.

In the embodiment shown the watertight cabin 1 is mechanically connectedto the float 2 by means of two deformable parallelograms disposed oneither side of said cabin and between the two bodies 13 of the float 2.

These two parallelograms are identical and each comprises a first arm 14pivoted on a shaft 15, one extremity of which is fast with the insidelateral wall 16 of one of the bodies 13 of the float 2 and on atriangular fixing plate 17 rigidly connected to the cabin 1. The secondarm 18 of each of these deformable parallelograms is pivoted both to astud 19 rigidly fixed on the inside wall 16 and to the triangular fixingplate 17. These two arms 14 and 18 are parallel so that the distancebetween the shaft 15 and the stud 1h is equal to the distance separatingthe pivoting points of these arms on the fixing plate 17.

One arm of each deformable parallelogram, in theembodiment shown the arm18, is extended beyond its pivot point on the float 2 by a lever armZll. In the example shown, this lever arm 2t is L-shaped with its freeextremity 231 connected by means of a connecting member 22 to the freeextremity 21 of the lever arm 28 of the other deformable parallelogram.The lever arm 2% is also connected by means of a reinforcing member 23to the extremity of the corresponding arm 1%, pivoted on the fixingplate 17. A cross piece 24 further connects the arm 18 and thereinforcing member 23 of each deformable parallelogram.

The arm 18, the lever arm 20, the reinforcing member 23 and the crosspiece 24 of each deformable parallelogram constitute a triangulatedsystem which is very rigid and which is able to withstand great forces.

The pleasure submersible boat according to the invention is furtherprovided with a ballast mechanically connected to the float and also tothe deformable parallelograrns. This ballast is constituted in theembodiment shown by a water tank 25 of sufficient size to contain awater volume corresponding approximately to the weight of a water volumeapproximately equal to the volume of the watertight cabin diminishedfrom the value of the maximum working load, that is of the weight of twoaverage persons, in order for its weight to compensate for the upwardlydirected buoyancy thrust of the cabin 1 when it is immersed.

This water tank 25 presents an approximately rectangular shape and isprovided with two apertures 27, 28 in its lower face 26 locatedrespectively near the opposed lateral edges of said lower face 26.

This Water tank 25 is freely pivoted around a shaft 29 disposed near thelower face 26 of said water tank and extending transversely through it.This shaft 29 is displaced out of the transverse symmetry plane of thewater tank so that this tank tends to pivot in the direction of thearrow 1 around shaft 29 under the action of its own weight.

In a rest position, that is to say when the cabin is not immersed, thewater tank 25 is empty and at least a large part of it is situated abovethe Water surface.

The water tank 25 comprises two abutment members 30 disposed near eachextremity of the shaft 29 and rigid- 1y fixed on each lateral walladjacent to the longitudinal edge of the lower face 26.

This water tank is disposed between the two bodies 13 of the float 2near its front extremity and symmetrically disposed with respect to thelongitudinal symmetry plane of the submersible. Each of the ends of theshaft 29 is pivoted on one extremity of a lever 31 itself ivoted at anintermediate point on the shaft 15.

In the rest position, corresponding to the state of the submersible inwhich the watertight cabin is not immersed, the levers 31 are locked intheir angular position with respect to the bodies 13 by means of hooks32 provided in the free end of blade springs 33 which are connected attheir other extremities to the internal faces of the body 13respectively. In this locked position, the levers 31 make an angleapproximately equal to 45 with respect to the horizontal.

For that rest position, the free end of the arm 36 fast with the levers31 respectively and disposed at a right angle with respect to them neartheir extremity which is pivoted on the shaft 29 rests on an abutment 37rigidly fixed on the arms 18 of the deformable parallelograms at theplace of their articulation on the bodies 13 of the float 2.

Sectors 34 are pivoted on the shaft 29 between the water tank 25 andeach of the levers 31. Each of these sectors 34 is connected to thisshaft 29 by a helical spring 35 tending to maintain it in a restposition illustrated at FIG. 3.

Each of these sectors 34 carries a radial lug 39 cooperating, in therest position shown in FIG. 3, with one of the abutment members 30carried by the water tank.

The force of these helical springs 35 maintains the water tank againstthe action of gravity in its horizontal rest position defined by thebearing faces 4%, carried by the arms 41 rigidly fixed on the arms 18 ofthe deformable parallelograms respectively, against which the abutmentmembers 3t) of the water tank are resting.

Each sector 34 presents on its periphery a groove 42 terminated at oneextremity by a fixing member 43. Further a cam 44 is disposed on theexternal face of each sector 34 and serves a purpose which will bedescribed later on.

The extremity 45 of each lever 31 is connected by means of a crank shaft46 to a support 47 rigidly fixed on the arm 13 of the correspondingdeformable parallelogram between its pivoting points on the float and onthe fixing plate 17. The distance separating the support 47 from thestud I? is greater than that separating the extremity 45 of the lever 31from the shaft 15.

A supple non resilient member, for example a wirerope 48, is connectedat one of its ends to the fixing member 43 of each sector 34. The wirerope is disposed in its groove 42 and wound around a pulley 4 pivoted onthe corresponding shaft 15, then around a pulley 54B pivoted on theextremity 21 of the corresponding lever arm 20, then around a pulley 51pivoted on the fore part of the corresponding body 13 and is fixed atits other extremity on the corresponding winch T This wire-rope isalways, regardless of the position of the watertight cabin, situated inits greatest part out of the water. In fact only the length of thiswire-rope wound around the sectors 34 is, in rest position of thesubmersible, located in the water.

The described pleasure submersible boat operates as follows:

In order to immerse the watertight cabin 1 of the submersible from itsrest position shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the operator, that is thepassenger, actuates the third electric motor by means of one of thelevers 6 disposed in the cabin 1 causing the driving of the winches T insuch a direction that the wire-ropes 48 are wound on said winches.

The winding of these Wire-ropes 48 on the corresponding winch T causesan angular displacement of the sectors 34- against the action of thehelical springs 35. The water tank 25, which tends to tilt by its ownWeight in the direction of the arrow 1, follows this angular movernent,the abutment members 30 resting on the radial lugs 39 of the sectors 34.During this angular displacement, the aperture 28 of the water tank 25is located under water whereas the aperture 27 is situated above thewater surface. In this manner, when the angular displacement of thesectors 34 and thus of the water tank 25 reaches approximately (FIG. 4),at least a great part of the water tank is located under the watersurface, and therefore it becomes filled with water, its two apertures27 and 28 being directed upwardly. This water tank cannot empty itselfand constitutes from that moment the ballast intended to counterbalancethe bugyancy thrust due to the immersion of the watertight ca in.

When the helical springs are completely tightened by a subsequentangular displacement of the sectors 34, the cam 44 carried by thelateral face of each sector 34 pulls the corresponding blade spring 33toward the body .13 and unlock the levers 31 which are from then on freeto pivot around the shaft 15. Then simultaneously, the frontal face ofthe cam 44 rests on the edge of the corresponding lever 31. From then onno further relative angular displacement in the direction of the arrow fcan occur between the sectors 34 and the corresponding levers 31.

The subsequent winding of the wire-ropes 48 on their respective winch Tcauses, through traction on the free extremity 2,1 of the lever arm 21)of each deformable parallelogram, pivoting movement in the direction ofthe arrow 1 by the arms 18 of these parallelograms around the studs 19out of their rest position. This angular displacement of the arms 18causes necessarily a similar angular displacement of the arm 14 of eachdeform-able parallelogram around the shaft 15, which produces theimmersion of the watertight cabin 1, said cabin remaining parallel toitself during this displacement thanks to the action of the deformableparallelogratms.

Simultaneously the support 47 rigidly fixed to the arm 1% drives duringthe rotation of this arm 18, the corresponding lever 31 in rotationaround the shaft 15 by means of the crank shaft 46.

This rotation of the levers 31 around the shafts 15 in the direction ofthe arrow 1 causes an upward displacement of the shaft 29 and thus ofthe water tank 25.

As the cabin 1 is immersed, the Water tank, that is the ballast, ispartially raised over the water surface in order to counterbalance thebuoyancy thrust caused by the immersion of the cabin.

The configuration of the mechanical linkage between the levers 31 andthe arms 18 is such, thanks to the ratio existing between the distancesseparating the attaching points of the crank shaft 46 from the shaft 15and the stud 19 respectively on the one hand and to the initial slope ofthe levers 31 with respect to the arms 18 on the other hand, that thespeed of the displacement of the ballast in the vertical direction, fora uniform angular speed of the arms 18, is quick at first until thecabin is immersed then slow during the whole stroke of said cabineffectuated under water. In this way the ballast 25 is rapidly raisedabove the water surface at the beginning of the rotation of the arms 18,corresponding to the immersion of the cabin 1, in order to immediatelycounterbalance the buoyancy thrust due to the immersion of the cabin.Then, during the subsequent angular displacement of the arms 18,corresponding to the lowering of the cabin to the desired depth, thewater tank is practically not raised, the value of the buoyancy thrustexerted by the immersed cabin remaining practically constant. On thecontrary, during this second phase of the immersion of the watertightcabin, the ballast 2.5 is forwardly displaced, practically parallelly tothe water surface, in such a manner as to come closer to the verticalline along which the buoyancy thrust of the cabin is exerted.

The angular displacement of the arms 18 is followed (FIG. 5) until themoment where the cabin reaches its deepest position for which the arms18 and 14 of the deformable parallellograms still form a certain anglewith a direction normal to the water surface. In this position, thecabin 1 is located approximately under the 'water tank 25 which islocated between the ventilating pipes 7. At this moment an end strokeswitch, mounted on the winch T, stops motor M and causes simultaneouslythe actuating of an electromagnetic brake immobilizing the drums of thewinches T in their angular position. It is in fact necessary to providea brake since if the tension of the wire-rope 48 is slackened the cabincomes back to the surface through the combined action of the gravity ofthe ballast and of the buoyancy thrust due to the immersion of thecabin, the parallelograms being not quite vertical.

It is to be noticed that at the beginning of the immersion of the cabin,when it is not situated under the ballast, the combined action of thegravity of the ballast and of the buoyancy thrust of the cabin causes atorque tending to tilt backward the submersible, therefore the greatpart of the buoyancy (central part 9) of the float 2 is concentrated atthe rear of the submersible so that a little tilting of the float in adirection against the arrow 1 enables to counterbalance this torque.This tilting torque becomes very low when the cabin is in its extremeposition of immersion since the ballast is then situated practicallyabove the cabin.

When the passenger or passengers want to come up again to the surface,they progressively free the electromagnetic brake by means of one of thelevers 6, slackening thus the wire-rope 48 to allow the arms 18 and 14to pivot in a direction against the arrow f under the action of thetorque caused by the gravity of the ballast and the buoyancy thrust ofthe cabin. When the cabin is again out of the water (FIG. 4) the helicalsprings 35 cause the sectors 34 to pivot in a direction against thearrow 1 causing at first the locking of the levers 31 by means of thehooks 32 and then the driving of the water tank, the lugs 39 bearing onthe abutment members 30. During this rotation, the water tank empties toarrive at least in its rest position (FIG. 3) for which at least a greatpart of it is located above the water surface and for which itsapertures 27, 28 are directed downwardly.

From this moment, the passengers may open the cover of the cabin 1 andget out. In rest position, the submersible is light, the ballast beingpractically nonexistent since the water tank is then empty, whichgreatly facilitates on the one hand its evolutions on the surface and onthe other hand its handling on the land.

Further the levers 31 being locked, no relative displacement of thecabin or of the water tank with respect to the float 2 is possible,which also facilitates the handling of such a submersible.

The principal advantages of the described submersible with respect tothe existing boats of this type are the following:

(1) The combined action of the weight of the ballast and of the buoyancythrust of the immersed cabin tends continuously to return thesubmersible to its rest position, that is to say with the cabin out ofthe water. This represents a supplementary security, in fact if duringan accident the wire-ropes 218 were cut, the cabin would thenautomatically reascend to the surface without any external aid.

(2) In the rest position, all the mobile parts of the submersible(cabin, ballast, deformable parallelograms) are locked in position, thushindering any relative displacement of these mobile parts. Thisfacilitates greatly the handling of the submersible on the land.

(3) The ballast is constituted by a water tank which is emptied in restposition of the submersible, enabling to realize a submersible with lowdraught when it is at the surface which facilitates greatly itsevolutions and its handling by reducing its weight.

(4) The filling of this ballast water tank happens automatically throughits rotation of no filling means or draining means being necessary.

(5) The water tank, located above the cabin when the latter is immersed,constitutes a protection for it as well as a sun shield for thepassengers.

(6) The U shape of the float 2 guarantees a good stability, whilecompensating, through a small backward tilting, for the torque due tothe ballast and to the cabin at the beginning of its immersion.

(7) The disposition of the wire ropes is such that they are practicallyentirely out of the water, which extends their useful life.

(8) The special shape given to the arms 18 of the deformableparallelograms ensures a very great rigidity to the linkage float-cabin.

(9) All the mechanical and electrical elements as well as the propulsionmeans, the immersion means and the steering means, are fixed on thefloat being thus very easy to manufacture and of a very easy maintenanceas well as of a high efiiciency.

One embodiment of the pleasure submersible boat has been described bymeans of non limitative example but it is to be understood that numerousvariants could be foreseen without departing from the scope of theprotection claimed. For example the shape ofthe different constitutiveparts of the submersible, the float, the cabin, the ballast and of thedeformable parallelograms, could be different. Further in anothervariant the three electric motors could be replaced by only one motorand coupling devices. The electric motor or motors could be in a variantreplaced by an internal combusion engine for example.

In a further variant not shown, the float 2 could be filled with acellular synthetic material that is to say a material comprising in itsmass a multitude of closed and water tight spaces. The cellularsynthetic materials are very light and practically speaking do notdiminish the buoyancy of the float. Such a float filled with cel lularsynthetic material shows a very great security. In fact, its buoyancy ispractically not affected in case of collision for example, since it isdivided into an infinity of watertight compartments, only some of whichare ruptured during an accident.

I claim:

1-. A pleasure submersible boat comprising a watertight cabin, operatingmembers housed in said cabin for controlling said submersible boat,safety means including a float located at least partially above thewater and at least one deformable parallelogram comprising two armsconnecting said cabin to said float, said submersible boat comprisingfurther a lever arm fast with at least one of the arms of saiddeformable parallelogram and extending beyond the point at which saidone parallelogram arm is pivoted on said float; at least one motordriven winch carrying a wire rope which cooperates with the freeextremity of said lever arm to produce angular displaccments of thedeformable parallelogram with respect to said float; a ballastcomprising a drainable Water tank mechanically connected to saidparallelogram and mounted for rotation therewith, apertures provided inone face of said water tank, rotation of said water tank by 180 awayfrom its rest position causing the immersion of one of said aperturesand the filling of said tank with water, the rotation of said water tankbeing controlled by means of said motor driven winch; the angulardisplacement of said deformable parallelogram out of its rest position,controlled by said motor driven winch, being efi'ected against thecombined action of said buoyancy thrust of said cabin and the weight ofsaid ballast, said angular displacement causing the immersion of saidcabin and the displacement of said ballast upward and toward thebuoyancy thrust of said cabin to compensate said thrust.

2. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 1 in which the floathas the general shape of a U, the ballast as well as part of the cabinbeing located between the two leg of said U-shaped float andmechanically connected to said float by means of two deformableparallelograms.

3. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 2 in which the watertank is, in the rest position of the boat, empty and located practicallyentirely above the water with its apertures directed downwardly, whereasWhen the said cabin is immersed the said water tank is locatedpractically entirely under water with its apertures directed upwardly.

4. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 3 in which themechanical linkage connecting the ballast to the deformableparallelogram comprises a shaft connecting said legs of said U-shapedfloat, one extremity of a first one of said arms of said parallelogramsbeing journaled on said shaft, levers journaledl on said shaft at aposition such that their free ends are situated at different distancesfrom said shaft, the short legs of said levers being mechanicallyconnected to the second arm of said parallelograms, the long legs ofsaid lever being connected together at their free extremities by meansof a shaft, said water tank being journaled on said shaft,

any uniform angular displacement of said parallelogram causing thereby adisplacement of the ballast which is not uniform.

5. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 2 in which said watertank tends to rotate under the action of gravity, and spring meanseffective to maintain said water tank in rest position against gravity.

6. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 5 in which said motordriven winch controls said spring means and thus the rotation of saidwater tank.

7. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 6 in which saidspring means comprise helical springs and sectors are journaled on saidshaft about which said water tank is journaled and disposed on eitherside of said water tank, said sectors being subjected to the force ofsaid helical springs and comprising radial lugs and abutment members onsaid water tank engaging said radial lugs, said free extremity of saidlever arm of said parallelogram bearing a roller, said wire rope of saidwinches passing over said roller and being attached to said sectors.

8. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 7 comprising furthercams integral with said sectors for limiting the angular displacementthereof with respect to said parallelograms.

9. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 4, further comprisingmeans for locking said parallelograms in their rest positions withrespect to said float, said locking means comprising blade springs, eachhaving one extremity which is fast with said float, hooks being providedon the free extremities of said blade springs to cooperate with theedges of said levers on which the water tank is journaled.

10. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 8, furthercomprising means for locking said parallelograms in their rest positionswith respect to said float, said locking means comprising blade springs,each having one extremity which is fast with said float, hooks beingprovided on the free extremities of said blade springs to cooperate withthe edges of said levers on which the water tank is journaled, said camsof said sectors cooperating with said blade springs to free the lockingmeans and thus permit angular displacements of said parallelograms.

11. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 8 in which thefilling of said water tank takes place before each immersion of thecabin and the draining of. said water tank takes place after eachemersion thereof.

12. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed is claim 4 in which saidwater tank tends to rotate under the action of gravity, spring meanseffective to maintain said water tank in rest position against gravity,said motor driven winch controlling said spring means and in which saidspring means are constituted by helical springs, sectors journaled onsaid shaft about which said water tank is journaled and disposed oneither side of said water tank, said sectors being subjected to theforce of said helical spring and comprising radial lugs, abutmentmembers on said water tank cooperating with said radial lugs to subjectsaid water tank to the action of said helical springs, said freeextremity of said lever arm of said parallelogram supporting a roller,the said wire rope of said winches passing over said roller and beingattached to said sectors, said sectors comprising further a cam limitingtheir angular displacements with respect to said parallelograms.

13. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 11 in which thewater tank is journaled on a shaft connecting said lever arms of each ofsaid parallelograms.

14. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 12 in which saidfloat comprises several watertight com- :partments.

15. A submersible pleasure boat as claimed in claim 12, in which whenthe watertight cabin is in its extreme 3,129,681 9 10 position ofimmersion the longitudinal symmetry axis References Cited in the file ofthis patent of the deformable parallelogram forms an angle with UNITEDSTATES PATENTS respect to a direction normal to the surface of theWater,

so that when the tension of the wire rope is slackened the 1997149 La.ke1935 3,073,271 Brill Jan. 15, 1962 watertight cabin reascendsautomatically to the surface 5 under the combined action of the buoyancythrust of the F REIGN ATENTS cabin and of the weight of the ballast.353,993 Switzerland June 15, 1961

1. A PLEASURE SUBMERSIBLE BOAT COMPRISING A WATERTIGHT CABIN, OPERATINGMEMBERS HOUSED IN SAID CABIN FOR CONTROLLING SAID SUBMERSIBLE BOAT,SAFETY MEANS INCLUDING A FLOAT LOCATED AT LEAST PARTIALLY ABOVE THEWATER AND AT LEAST ONE DEFORMABLE PARALLELOGRAM COMPRISING TWO ARMSCONNECTING SAID CABIN TO SAID FLOAT, SAID SUBMERSIBLE BOAT COMPRISINGFURTHER A LEVER ARM FAST WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE ARMS OF SAIDDEFORMABLE PARALLELOGRAM AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE POINT AT WHICH SAIDONE PARALLELOGRAM ARM IS PIVOTED ON SAID FLOAT; AT LEAST ONE MOTORDRIVEN WINCH CARRYING A WIRE ROPE WHICH COOPERATES WITH THE FREEEXTREMITY OF SAID LEVER ARM TO PRODUCE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENTS OF THEDEFORMABLE PARALLELOGRAM WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLOAT; A BALLASTCOMPRISING A DRAINABLE WATER TANK MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO SAIDPARALLELOGRAM AND MOUNTED FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, APERTURES PROVIDED INONE FACE OF SAID WATER TANK, ROTATION OF SAID WATER TANK BY 180* AWAYFROM ITS REST POSITION CAUSING THE IMMERSION OF ONE OF SAID APERTURESAND THE FILLING OF SAID TANK WITH WATER, THE ROTATION OF SAID WATER TANKBEING CONTROLLED BY MEANS OF SAID MOTOR DRIVEN WINCH; THE ANGULARDISPLACEMENT OF SAID DEFORMABLE PARALLELOGRAM OUT OF ITS REST POSITION,CONTROLLED BY SAID MOTOR DRIVEN WINCH, BEING EFFECTED AGAINST THECOMBINED ACTION OF SAID BUOYANCY THRUST OF SAID CABIN AND THE WEIGHT OFSAID BALLAST, SAID ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT CAUSING THE IMMERSION OF SAIDCABIN AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID BALLAST UPWARD AND TOWARD THEBUOYANCY THRUST OF SAID CABIN TO COMPENSATE SAID THRUST.